Maximum Ride: Endless War
by xXmimi-cRaSh-UNDEADXx
Summary: Someone in the attic. Fang thought nothing of it as he was sent in his cop car to go check it out, until he sees those familiar figures... A long last enemy is gathering themselves together, getting ready to strike... Post STWAOES. Little bit of Faxness.
1. Someone In The Attic

_Chapter One: Someone In The Attic_

Fang drove the police car lazily, snacking on some chips. This was the third call this week saying the same thing; "I think someone's in my house, in the attic!" Every time he has checked them out, it was nothing, so he would just tell them it was a rat or something and leave. So he was ready

He was 30 years old, miraculously living well with no disruptions. Itex was gone- permanently. He lived a peaceful life at home with Max and the rest of the flock. Max and Iggy were 30, also, Nudge was 27, Gazzy being 24 and Angel 22. Well, about. They never really got to know their_ real _ages.

Fang lived under the name Nick Jacobsen. He and Max were married, passing Iggy (James Arelton) as Fang's roommate, and Gazzy (Zephyr Martinez) and Angel (Ariel Martinez) as Max's adopted brother and sister. Nudge (Monique Belle) was Max's best friend. That's what they told everyone when someone asked why they all lived together.

So "Zephyr, Ariel, Monique, Nick, James" and Max lived pretty nicely. Max still liked her name and no matter how many arguments they had about how it was unfair how they all had to change their names but her, she still kept it. but she did take her mom's last name, Martinez, instead of Ride.

He guessed it was about as normal as a life he would ever get. And he was fine with that. He was a cop, Max worked at a Taco Time, Nudge was trying to be a singer, Gazzy worked at the gun store, Angel was... a mind controller. It made all of them more than enough money to get by.

Anyways, Fang looked for the house that had reported the 'person in the attic'. He pulled into the drive way of the small Victorian house and parked the car, going up to the porch. He rang the doorbell to have a small, blond woman open the door. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail, in her sweats and a tank top. So she had been working out. Now Fang was starting think she was just hearing things.

She looked alarmed, but after she explained that she heard thumps and someone say 'yes', she led him to the stairs in the back of the house. The woman waited at the bottom.

In an attempt to hide Fang's doubtfulness from the woman, he pulled his gun out and climbed the stairs, creaking the door open slowly. He peered around the room, seeing nothing. He took out his flashlight and shone it around, seeing nothing but boxes and old furniture and more boxes. He was about ready to turn around and leave until there was a whimper and a little gleam from the corner of his eyes.

He turned the flashlight all the way to where the gleam and sound had come from and froze in his tracks at what he saw.

There was three kids, two guys and one girl, hiding behind one of the boxes, shaking.

And he could see the tip of a brown feather poking from behind one of their backs. Just like Fang.

They were about as shocked as he was. Fang's heart jumped into his throat, and he felt a pang somewhere in his stomach. He was frozen.

But in a spur of the moment, he motioned them towards the window, waving his hand eagerly. His heart was racing. The three kids- no more then eleven years old- raced to the window that lead to the backyard.

"Meet me outside in the bushes!" He hissed as they jumped down, Fang turning back to go down the stairs where the woman was waiting. He nearly tripped a few times as he rushed down the steps.

"Well?"

"There's nothing up there, I promise. Probably just some rats." Fang tried to say calmly, needing to get out of here. He was excited, he NEEDED to talk to those kids. Was the School back...?

"Okay... sorry I bothered." She said, but Fang was already rushing out the doors before she could say anything else.

Once Fang was outside, he looked down the road. No cars. A few houses and old run down shops. He looked for the kids to see if they had flown off. But they were no where up in the sky.

Then he saw them running away from him, incredibly fast, maybe even faster than him.

So he took off after them too, thrashing his feet against the cement, pounding them as fast as he could.

_"Stop! I'm like you! Stop!"_ Fang yelled, trying to get them to stop. But they continued to run.

So he added, "_I know how to stop them!"_

That made them slow down, and then stop. The three looked at Fang, as he caught up to them, panting. They stared at him with a mix of emotions; shock, confusion, terror, excitement. The girl spoke up.

"Please help... they were coming after us... we ran... help, please... we didn't mean to bother anyone... but they want us, and we're hungry and tired..."

"Who?" He asked, still breathing hard. "Who wanted you?"

"Them. The one's with the fur and the paws. The ones the people in white made." She said. Tears were running down her dirty face, smudging the dirt that had caked on her skin. She reminded him of Angel was she was younger, which made him feel a bit nauseous as he thought of what these kids might have been through.

Fang had to catch his breath, and think, try to wrap his mind around what was going on.

"You mean the School...?" The words were like poison as he said them.

The three nodded together, and one of the boys spoke up in a hushed and cracked voice. "_Them_."

**_A/N: _Okay! This was inspired by a dream last night, so I ran to the computer when I woke up and wrote this as fast as I could to get it all down before I lost it. Only now have I went back and edited it to be better. I hope it's good. :) Please review or add to alerts!**


	2. We're Back!

_Chapter Two: We're Back!_

Max was sitting lazily at the counter, staring at the faces across the room as they munched on their greasy tacos and sloppy burritos. She didn't want to work hear. This was a job for sixteen year olds, not a full grown woman! Especially her. She thought that saving the world would have ended her with a better ending.

But at least life was peaceful. Though she would enjoy some excitement every now and then.

Then Max felt a buzzing in her pocket, a boring over-joyful piano ringing too loudly to catch her attention. She reached into her pocket and fished it out.

_Calling: Fnick_

Max sighed and picked up the phone. Probably just Nudge stealing his phone- again- to whine about how she can't get the TV to work.

"Hello?"

"Max, I need-" There was some crashing sounds. "Max, it's Fang! Just hurry up and get home! I need your help!" Then I heard his voice a little more hushed. "_Get in the closet! Look down, there should be a-" _More crashing, this time louder, with growls and barking.

She stood still for a moment while the phone crashed on the other end, hanging the call up.

"Hey George? I'm taking the day off, I have to go!"

The tall and skinny kid named George was about to say something, but Max had already jumped from the counter and flew (but not literally) out the door.

*-*-*

Fang had no time to pick up the phone. Turning to the door of the house, he saw an empty space where it had been kicked in. He felt a lump rise in his throat.

He had showed the three kids he was like them earlier, and convinced them he could help if they followed him home. They wouldn't get in the car, but instead flew above it.

Apparently this proved to not be a smart idea in the end. About a block away from his house, Erasers- yes, they were back- had spotted them. Fang had time to get the three inside and lock the door, giving them time to hide.

No one was home. They all had either been out at work or just hanging out who knows where. Fang was the only one home, and he would have to fight these ones out on his own.

There was four that came in, claws raised and fangs exposed. Fang felt... weak. It had been too long. So many questions crashed through his mind and down into his throat, making him choke up. But taking a breath, he raised his wings out from his back, prickling his feathers upward, and got ready.

The first one that charged him had steel toed boots, so when he landed his foot into Fang's chest he flew backwards and hit the wall with full force, knocking the breathe out of him. His wing bent backward at impact, causing him to call out in pain.

"_Where are the kids?!_" The Eraser demanded in a deep, scratchy voice.

Fang ignored them, but got up, charging the wolf in front of him with his fist raised, ready to attack. He landed a punch into his jaw, giving a crack, but he only stumbled backwards and then grabbed Fang by his throat.

"Where are they?!" He demanded again, digging the tips of his claws into Fang's neck. Fang managed to land a nice punch in his chest, which did manage to throw him back into the other two standing by the door.

Then there was a green blur of a Taco Time uniform as Max flew in right above the Eraser's head, kicking her boot into the back of both of them, knocking them on top of the other.

But the 'leader' Fang had guess to be through the others off him and charged at Fang, opening his jaw wide as if he were going to bite him. Fang raised his arm up in defense but had the Eraser bite him, pick him up, and throw him across the room.

Fang cried out again shattering the table. He lay there stunned for a second, until Max grabbed him into an upright position.

Max's attempt at getting him up hadn't worked. Instead he watched half in shock from the pain in his back as Max charged the three upright Erasers and tried to take them out.

When she was thrown back into the wall, Fang pushed himself out of his numbness.

"Max, get in the closet!" He yelled as he ran to it also. He dodged as the Eraser's tried to grab him, but he swung the closet door open and pulled Max inside too, shutting it.

Fang pulled open the top to the laundry shoot as the Erasers attempted to kick the locked door in. Fang gathered his hatred for claustrophobia and jumped down through the metal, sliding down.

He could only hope that Max followed. At the bottom, he landed in a pile of shirts and underwear and jeans and whatnot. The kids stood near the backdoor that lead up the stairs to the backyard, confused on if they should lead or not. He had time to think that these kids were new and didn't know much about being on the run.

Fang jumped up right as Max slid down too. The Eraser's would be too bulky to fit down there. Fang ran at the door, opening it and thrashing up the stairs to have the cool winter wind meet him.

He heard Max try to ask a question about the kids, but she didn't finish, figuring it was the wrong time.

Raising his wings again despite the pain, Fang jumped, letting the wind catch him up, yanking him into a stream of blowing air that carried him quickly upward.

The five flew off, their only hope to get out of there and away from the nightmare creatures.

**_A/N: Like it? More plot line in the next chapter instead of just fighting stuff. Please review!_**


	3. Simply A Look Can Break Your Heart

_Chapter Three: Simply A Look Can Break Your Heart  
_

They lost them.

That was the most important part right now, that made him want to celebrate... and Fang prayed that they would _stay_ lost, and not find them.

After flying reasonably far away, the five docked down into the forest that skirted the outer edges of the town. The three kids stayed a reasonably distance away, and Max & Fang could understand why. Two stranger coming out of nowhere, telling them to come with them. Probably the way Max and the others would've done too.

Fang skidded in the dirt and leaves, and everyone followed after him into the clearing. He coughed from the uprising of dust, and brushed his hands off, talking quietly as if someone was listening in on them.

"Max, stay here with them. I'll get Iggy and the others." He mumbled, sounding very exhausted and irritated. "If they come back, meet me back around the lake cave."

She gave him a quick nod. The cave. Deeper in the forest, at the lake, around the small cliff that hung over the small body of water... that's where the flock had stayed when they were trying to get jobs and money. Max had a few flashbacks, but snapped herself back to attention.

Fang waited a moment, but then gave a hard push of the ground and used his black wings to carry him back out into the city.

Max waited till she saw him get away safely, and then turned to the three kids. She still didn't know their names.

"Um... hey. I'm Max." She said, but they stared at her like she was an alien. They probably hadn't been out for very long... they didn't know how to react in public. Max shuffled her feathers uncomfortably.

The girl coughed. She looked about eight, and the youngest. She had straight red hair and very pale skin, her wings white tipped with the same red color as her hair. "I'm Natalie."

The boy looking about eleven, probably the oldest- or at least the tallest- spoke next. "Jackson." His hair was dark brown and hung around his face in a shaggy, too long way, with dark freckles spotting his dark tan skin. His wings for a brick-brown color, with speckles that looked so black it was a bit purple.

The middle boy, who looked nine-ish or ten-ish had blond hair that looked uneven. Almost like it had been burnt on one side, and she doubted it hadn't due to the red spot on his scalp. He had very bright blue eyes, and long eyelashes. When he spoke it reminded Max of a young Gazzy; trying to be strong, but sounding week. "I'm Jared..." His wings were a gray color, and looked too small for his body.

But there names weren't the only things she wanted to know. She was still very shocked. The School- which she had been_ sure_ to be gone- was making new experiments?

"Okay... I know you don't know me. I'm a stranger. And I know you don't want to talk about it. But can you tell me how you ended up like... that?" She motioned toward their wings.

None of them spoke, biting their lips. Looking at them made Max feel bad for what they must have been through.

Max sighed. "Please. I think I know what you've been through, both me and Fang, and the rest of our family. But I need to know if it was... the School."

Natalie looked like she was going to cry, but nodded. "We left... but they want us back... I didn't know their was others..." She said weakly, and Max sat down on a large rock. She buried her face into her hands.

Then Natalie started bawling, and the boys tried to comfort her, probably holding their tears back. It seemed so wrong. Max felt a burst of anger in her chest. She wanted the School to burn. She would do whatever she could to stop them.

And then Max whimpered. The strong part of her took off, and she found herself holding back tears also.

***

Fang closed his eyes for a moment, trying to savor the feeling of that warm breeze on his face. He smiled into it, until Angel's question from behind him brought him out of his moment of peace.

"Seriously, Fang. What's going on?" She asked with a hint of anger in her voice.

Fang sighed, dropping his head a little. He didn't want to explain right now. He'd leave that to Max, since she would have enough time to talk with them about what happened and learn herself.

"I'll tell you in a little bit. But we need to find Iggy first."

Fang had managed to get Angel and Gazzy and Nudge. And around this time of day, Iggy would be down at the bar. It was pretty close to their house, so Fang was taking a different route in case the Erasers were at the house checking for anything.

They were so far up, no one could see them, but he could see everything down bellow. The streets were strangely deserted.

But then he saw the bar.

There was a group of people crowding around yellow and black tape, cop cars lining the street, and a lot of comotion.

Fang looked at the scene in shock, and quickly ducked into a mess of apple trees that was the public park/garden area. Fang could hear the three behind him's shock too. His heart was caught in his throat again.

He ran out of the park and down the street to the throng of people. The four shouldered and pushed themselves forward, until they were as close as they could be without being in the taped-off area.

Nudge tapped one of the guards keeping everyone back. He turned towards her.

"Excuse me, what happened here?" She asked, her voice worried and shocked, but still trying to keep herself together.

"There was a shooting. So far one dead, the bartender. Three people injured on their way to the hospital. And they took someone with them, almost like a kidnapping, but in the middle of the day..."

"Wait, who were the people?" Nudge asked, even more alarmed. Fang tried to keep back the horrible thoughts creeping in his mind. This wasn't happening, it couldn't be.

"Lilith Wreitherton, George Harmelson, and Hannah Regina. The one dead is Ronald Smithton, and James Arelton was taken with them."

The four froze. Iggy. Taken.

Then another cop came out of the bar, carrying a piece of paper that had blood smeared at the top. He went over to the man Nudge had been talking to, and said quietly;

"Check this out. One of the psycho's who came in left a note."

Fang peered over desperately to see it.

_If you want your useless blind bird freak back, we get ours back. Hope ya see this, because you have a week to give them up or we're killing him._

That's all it took for Fang to turn around and run. He ran, took off into the air when the coast was clear, and desperately hoped the others were smart enough to follow him.

That one little paper made Fang feel broken... it was happening again...

_**A/N: **_**Sorry for taking so long to update! I've been busy. But I finally got this up. Hope you like it. Please review! =D  
**


	4. Decisions, Decisions

_Chapter Four: Decisions, Decisions  
_

Max glanced at Natalie, Jared and Jackson. Jackson had them all around her, trying to comfort them. Max felt almost a bit nostalgic of the memories when she got that warmth of being able to comfort her flock. But she never wanted to go back.

_But I guess I can't avoid it... we can't just leave the School still out there._

Just then, Fang came charging into the forest edge. A look of fear was displayed across his olive complexion.

"Fang, what is?" Max said, sitting upright and getting ready in case there was Erasers. Nudge, Gazzy and Angel filled in after Fang, glancing at the other bird kids.

"They took Iggy. They shot people at the bar and took them." Fang rushed.

Her throat choked up, and she felt a knot form in her stomach. "Wha'...?"

"I explained to them" -a jolt of his head towards the flock- "what happened. But the Erasers left a note." Fang then looked over at the younger ones. "I need to talk to you."

Max nodded, assuming he didn't want them to hear. Fang walked away from where everyone else was, and Max followed, walking stiffly.

"Max, they want those three back."

"Natalie and Jackson and Jared." Max informed him, but not paying attention to what she said.

He nodded, but closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "You don't get it, though. They have Iggy, but they don't actually need us anymore. They don't care about _us, _they care about _them._ We have a week to bring them back or they're killing Iggy."

She wanted to scream. But she was already frozen. She couldn't say anything except for little grunts that she tried to make words out of.

"Max, we have to bring them back."

This caused her to get a part of herself back. "No! Fang, we can't! I'm not going to go knocking on their door and just hand them over-"

"Do you _want _Iggy to get killed?" Fang hissed angrily. "I don't know about you, but I'm not going to leave a part of my only family in a hell hole like that! We don't even know if we can trust the others!"

"Fang, their _ten_. They can't do anything, why can't we just trust them?! We can go there and get Iggy back, but I'm _not_ going to make a deal with them. Then we're just helping them with whatever plans they have!"

"I'm not switching back." Fang said angrily. "I'm not going back to being on the run 24/7. That's _over_, and it's _staying_ over."

Max tried to calm herself down. There was too much stress already, she didn't need any fight escalating with her and Fang. She closed her eyes and tried to get herself together.

"Please. We did it once, stopping them. Now we have three extra people, and we're older and stronger. If anything, it will be easier. Plus we have money, no scavenging. If we do our best, this will be a quick and painless job."

Fang thought about bringing up the fact that it was basically just an extra two, but didn't. They had two decisions.

"Okay, fine." He sighed. Then there was a little bit of silence. Fang pulled Max into a hug, and whispered into her hair, "I'm sorry. But this is just too sudden. A lot of pressure."

Max let out a shuddering breath, resting her head on his broad chest. "I don't want this, Fang." She said shakily.

"I know." He kissed her hair. "But maybe this can be quick and painless. Let's just go and try to get this done with."

The two walked back to the others. It looked like everyone was up to date with everyone else.

_Alright, _Max thought, _let's get this ship sailing._ "So where is the School?" Max asked the younger ones, but aiming it at Jackson since he seemed like the leader.

"Somewhere in California." He responded, mispronouncing it a bit. Max didn't blame him though. "I don't know. That's what the signs said."

"Okay... probably same place as last time." Max thought out loud. She thought that they would be smarter to at least change their locations. At least, being in Arizona right now, it wouldn't be the farthest they've flown. "We should start going, like, right now."

_Max... why are they being more... civilized about it this time? _Angel asked in Max's head.

_What do you mean?_

_Like... they're acting like they're scared of us. Why would they ask and make a deal about it instead of just starting a fight? _

Max had to think about that for a second.

_I don't know, hon. I know as much as you do.  
_

***

The woman took another of sip of the coffee.

"It's too cold, warm it up." She demanded, holding up the cup behind her. The boy- who looked about sixteen- strode over to her and just stood, looking at her a little blankly.

She waited.

"_Now, _Omega."

The Director made a couple jerking motions with it, trying to get him to take it. He finally did and walked off.

"Keep in mind you should be dead. I took the risk of breeding turtle in you also so you could live longer."

Omega stopped halfway through his steps on the way to the microwave, a bit of anger washing through him. But it was true- his expiration date would of kicked in quite awhile ago if not for her. He continued his task.

"Omega..." She continued. "Thanks for choosing the School. I know we raised you up in Itex, but after those bird brains ruined it, we had our final strike. The main-main boss kicked out everyone that survived the attacks that she thought had ruined them. But yet she still thinks they can go on." She paused, and then chuckled. "School versus Itex. Sounds like some stupid movie ripping off Godzilla versus... who was it?"

"Mothra, King Kong, Megalon, there was a lot of them." Omega replied blankly.

"_Ma'am,_ Omega."

Omega held back another flood of anger. "Sorry. _Ma'am_."

When the coffee dinged, Omega took it out and handed it to the Director.

"Well, I guess that Itex finally knows that their old workers are rising the School back up. And now that our plan is finally in motion, we can prove that we are worth something, and Itex will be whole again..." She finally said. She took another drink of her coffee.

"May I be excused?" Omega asked, tired of her rants.

The Director ignored him and cleared her throat.

"I mean, may I be excused, ma'am?" He hissed through his teeth.

"Yes. You may."

Omega ran out of the room, feeling free.

In the hallway the whitecoats were running freely around, going about their business.

He sighed. He was just about ready to just leave here and run. After being beaten by Max, after being in jail with the Director for so long, after faking both of their deaths to get out of there... He was tired. He wanted out.

And maybe he would just would...

_**A/N: **_**Okay. Like it? Sorry it's not super long, but I can't make it really long without making it over-detailed and boring. But please review, more reviews= next chapter. ;D  
**


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